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GOP Health Group Misdiagnoses Health Care Crisis

The new Republican health study group may be interested in resurrecting Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) failed consumer-driven health care proposal or ensuring that Americans never have a choice between a public or private health care plan.

One goal is certain: this isn’t about coming up with viable policy solutions. To the contrary. This group is more interested in scoring political points and recycling trite rhetoric, than they are in lowering health care costs.

Republicans are committed to making health care more affordable, more accessible and offer more options to American families…Through this working group, Republicans will develop real solutions to improve our health care system by putting patients before paperwork and frivolous lawsuits. I am honored that the Republican Leader has asked me to lead a group of talented members who I know will be active participants in this important debate.”

To identify “real solutions,” one must first properly diagnose the problem. Blunt’s argument that “frivolous lawsuits” are significantly driving up health care costs, however, misses the point entirely.

In short, the increasing costs of malpractice insurance premiums are hurting doctors, but they’re not the real causes of increasing health care costs. And the longer Republicans obscure the real issues and obstruct reform efforts, the higher the costs will rise.